1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to end bearings for machines, and more specifically, to a high-reliability bearing retrofit for supporting rotation of an internal combustion engine layshaft, also referred to as an intermediate shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some horizontally-opposed engines are subject to bearing failure due to the use of a ball-bearing that supports the end of an intermediate layshaft used to couple the valve camshafts to the drive shaft. In one mode of failure, the ball bearing assembly fills with oil, causing failure of the lubrication retaining seals and the internal lubrication itself, releasing the balls from the ball bearings into the engine, causing catastrophic failure of the engine. Other modes of failure may also be present in such bearings.
Updates that have been implemented replace the original ball bearing with other ball-bearing types, but have limited lifetimes due to poor lubrication availability at the end of the intermediate layshaft, inherent issues with the bearings and bearing materials, and/or various operating conditions of the engine itself that tend to increase bearing wear both in idle and at high speeds.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus providing increased reliability and load carrying capability for rotating shaft end support bearings. It would be further desirable to provide an easily installed kit that can facilitate retrofit of engines subject to layshaft end-bearing failures with or without the engine being disassembled for the installation.